Method of manufacturing slider of thin-film magnetic head

ABSTRACT

A slider includes a slider main body and a thin-film magnetic head element. The slider main body has an air bearing surface, an air inflow end, and an air outflow end. The air bearing surface has a first part closer to the air outflow end, a second part closer to the air inflow end, and a border part between the first part and the second part. The second part is slanted against the first part so that the entire air bearing surface has a convex shape bent at the border part.

This is a Division of application Ser. No. 09/988,343 filed Nov. 19,2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,124. The entire disclosure of the priorapplication is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slider of a thin-film magnetic headwhich comprises a medium facing surface that faces toward a recordingmedium and a thin-film magnetic head element located near the mediumfacing surface, and to a method of manufacturing such a slider.

Performance improvements in thin-film magnetic heads have been sought asareal recording density of hard disk drives has increased. Suchthin-film magnetic heads include composite thin-film magnetic heads thathave been widely used. A composite head is made of a layered structureincluding a recording head having an induction-type electromagnetictransducer for writing and a reproducing head having a magnetoresistiveelement (that may be hereinafter called an MR element) for reading. MRelements include an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) element thatutilizes the AMR effect and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) element thatutilizes the GMR effect. A reproducing head using an AMR element iscalled an AMR head or simply an MR head. A reproducing head using a GMRelement is called a GMR head. An AMR head is used as a reproducing headwhere areal recording density is more than 1 gigabit per square inch. AGMR head is used as a reproducing head where areal recording density ismore than 3 gigabits per square inch. It is GMR heads that have beenmost widely used recently.

The performance of the reproducing head is improved by replacing the AMRfilm with a GMR film and the like having an excellent magnetoresistivesensitivity. Alternatively, a pattern width such as the reproducingtrack width and the MR height, in particular, may be optimized. The MRheight is the length (height) between an end of the MR element locatedin the air bearing surface and the other end. The air bearing surface isa surface of the thin-film magnetic head facing toward a magneticrecording medium.

Performance improvements in a recording head are also required as theperformance of a reproducing head is improved. It is required toincrease the recording track density in order to increase the arealrecording density among the performance characteristics of the recordinghead. To achieve this, it is required to implement a recording head of anarrow track structure wherein the width of top and bottom polessandwiching the recording gap layer on a side of the air bearing surfaceis reduced down to microns or a submicron order. Semiconductor processtechniques are utilized to implement such a structure. A pattern width,such as the throat height in particular, is also a factor thatdetermines the recording head performance. The throat height is thelength (height) of pole portions, that is, portions of magnetic polelayers facing each other with a recording gap layer in between, betweenthe air-bearing-surface-side end and the other end. To achieveimprovement in the recording head performance, it is desirable to reducethe throat height. The throat height is controlled by an amount oflapping when the air bearing surface is processed.

As thus described, it is important to fabricate well-balanced recordingand reproducing heads to improve the performance of the thin-filmmagnetic head.

In order to implement a thin-film magnetic head that achieves highrecording density, the requirements for the reproducing head include areduction in reproducing track width, an increase in reproducing output,and a reduction in noise. The requirements for the recording headinclude a reduction in recording track width, an improvement inoverwrite property that is a parameter indicating one of characteristicswhen data is written over existing data, and an improvement in nonlineartransition shift.

In general, a flying-type thin-film magnetic head used in a hard diskdrive and the like is made up of a slider, a thin-film magnetic headelement being formed at the trailing edge of the slider. The sliderslightly flies over a recording medium by means of airflow generated bythe rotation of the medium.

Reference is now made to FIG. 34A to FIG. 37A, FIG. 34B to FIG. 37B, andFIG. 38 to describe an example of a method of manufacturing arelated-art thin-film magnetic head element. FIG. 34A to FIG. 37A arecross sections each orthogonal to the air bearing surface. FIG. 34B toFIG. 37B are cross sections of the pole portion each parallel to the airbearing surface.

According to the manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 34A and FIG.34B, an insulating layer 102 made of alumina (Al₂O₃), for example, isdeposited to a thickness of about 5 to 10 μm on a substrate 101 made ofaluminum oxide and titanium carbide (Al₂O₃-TiC), for example. Next, onthe insulating layer 102, a bottom shield layer 103 made of a magneticmaterial is formed for a reproducing head.

Next, a bottom shield gap film 104 made of an insulating material suchas alumina is formed to a thickness of 100 to 200 nm, for example,through a technique such as sputtering on the bottom shield layer 103.On the bottom shield gap film 104, an MR element 105 for reproduction isformed to a thickness of tens of nanometers. Next, a pair of electrodelayers 106 are formed on the bottom shield gap film 104. The electrodelayers 106 are electrically connected to the MR element 105.

Next, a top shield gap film 107 made of an insulating material such asalumina is formed through sputtering, for example, on the bottom shieldgap film 104, the MR element 105 and the electrode layers 106. The MRelement 105 is embedded in the shield gap films 104 and 107.

Next, a top shield gap film 107 made of an insulating material such asalumina is formed through sputtering, for example, on the bottom shieldgap film 104, the MR element 105 and the electrode layers 106. The MRelement 105 is embedded in the shield gap films 104 and 107.

Next, as shown in FIG. 35A and FIG. 35B, a recording gap layer 109 madeof an insulating film such as an alumina film and having a thickness of0.2 μm is formed on the bottom pole layer 108. Next, the recording gaplayer 109 is partially etched to form a contact hole 109 a for making amagnetic path. Next, a top pole tip 110 for the recording head is formedon the recording gap layer 109 in the pole portion. The top pole tip 110is made of a magnetic material and has a thickness of 0.5 to 1.0 μm. Atthe same time, a magnetic layer 119 made of a magnetic material isformed for making the magnetic path in the contact hole 109 a for makingthe magnetic path.

Next, as shown in FIG. 36A and FIG. 36B, the recording gap layer 109 andthe bottom pole layer 108 are etched through ion milling, using the toppole tip 110 as a mask. As shown in FIG. 36B, the structure is called atrim structure wherein the sidewalls of the top pole portion (the toppole tip 110), the recording gap layer 109, and a part of the bottompole layer 108 are formed vertically in a self-aligned manner.

Next, an insulating layer 111 of alumina, for example, having athickness of about 3 μm, is formed over the entire surface. Theinsulating layer 111 is polished to the surfaces of the top pole tip 110and the magnetic layer 119 and flattened.

On the flattened insulating layer 111 a first layer 112 of a thin-filmcoil, made of copper (Cu), for example, is formed for the induction-typerecording head. Next, a photoresist layer 113 is formed into a specificshape on the insulating layer 111 and the first layer 112 of the coil.Heat treatment is performed at a specific temperature to flatten thesurface of the photoresist layer 113. Next, a second layer 114 of thethin-film coil is formed on the photoresist layer 113. Next, aphotoresist layer 115 is formed into a specific shape on the photoresistlayer 113 and the second layer 114 of the coil. Heat treatment isperformed at a specific temperature to flatten the surface of thephotoresist layer 115.

Next, as shown in FIG. 37A and FIG. 37B, a top pole layer 116 for therecording head is formed on the top pole tip 110, the photoresist layers113 and 115 and the magnetic layer 119. The top pole layer 116 is madeof a magnetic material such as Permalloy (NiFe). Next, an overcoat layer117 of alumina, for example, is formed to cover the top pole layer 116.Finally, machine processing of the slider including the forgoing layersis performed to form the air bearing surface 118 of the recording headand the reproducing head. The thin-film magnetic head element is thuscompleted.

FIG. 38 is a top view of the thin-film magnetic head element shown inFIG. 37A and FIG. 37B. The overcoat layer 117 and the other insulatinglayers and films are omitted in FIG. 38.

Reference is now made to FIG. 39 to FIG. 43 to describe theconfiguration and the functions of a slider of related art. FIG. 39 is abottom view that illustrates an example of the configuration of the airbearing surface of the related-art slider. As shown, the air bearingsurface of the slider 120 is shaped such that the slider 120 slightlyflies over the surface of a recording medium such as a magnetic disk bymeans of airflow generated by the rotation of the medium. In FIG. 39numeral 121 a indicates a convex portion and numeral 121 b indicates aconcave portion. A thin-film magnetic head element 122 is disposed at aposition near the air outflow end of the slider 120 (the upper end ofFIG. 39) and near the air bearing surface of the slider 120. Theconfiguration of the thin-film magnetic head element 122 is as shown inFIG. 37A and FIG. 37B, for example. Portion A of FIG. 39 corresponds toFIG. 37B.

The slider 120 is fabricated as follows. A wafer that includes aplurality of rows of portions to be sliders (hereinafter called sliderportions), each of the slider portions including the thin-film magnetichead element 122, is cut in one direction to form blocks called barseach of which includes a row of slider portions. Each of the bars isthen lapped to form the air bearing surface. Furthermore, the convexportions 121 a and the concave portion 121 b are formed. Each of thebars is then divided into sliders 120.

FIG. 40 is a cross section illustrating the slider 120 and a recordingmedium 140 in a state in which the recording medium 140 is at rest. InFIG. 40, the slider 120 is shown as sectioned along line 40-40 of FIG.39. FIG. 41 shows the slider 120 as viewed from the upper side of FIG.39.

As shown in FIG. 40, the greater part of the slider 120 is made up ofthe substrate 101 of aluminum oxide and titanium carbide, for example.The rest of the slider 120 is made up of an insulating portion 127 madeof alumina, for example, and the thin-film magnetic head element 122 andso on formed in the insulating portion 127. The greater part of theinsulating portion 127 is the overcoat layer 117.

In the slider 120 shown in FIG. 40 and FIG. 41, a protection layer 128,made of diamond-like carbon (DLC) or the like, is formed on the airbearing surface so as to protect the bottom shield layer 103, the bottompole layer 108, the top pole chip 110, the top pole layer 116 and othersfrom corrosion.

FIG. 42 is a cross section illustrating the slider 120 and the recordingmedium 140 in a state in which the recording medium 140 has just startedrotation from a resting state. FIG. 43 shows a state in which therecording medium 140 is rotating and the slider 120 is flying over thesurface of the recording medium 140 to perform reading and writing withthe thin-film magnetic head element 122. While the slider 120 is flying,the minimum distance H11 between the slider 120 and the recording medium140 is around 8 to 10 nm, and the distance H12 between the air outflowend of the slider 120 and the recording medium 140 is around 100 to 500nm.

Methods for improving the performance characteristics of a hard diskdrive, such as areal recording density, in particular, includeincreasing a linear recording density and increasing a track density. Todesign a high-performance hard disk drive, specific measures to be takenfor implementing the recording head, the reproducing head or thethin-film magnetic head as a whole differ depending on whether linearrecording density or track density is emphasized. That is, if priorityis given to track density, a reduction in track width is required forboth recording head and reproducing head, for example.

If priority is given to linear recording density, it is required for thereproducing head to improve the reproducing output and to reduce ashield gap length, that is, the distance between the bottom shield layerand the top shield layer. Moreover, it is required to reduce thedistance between the recording medium and the thin-film magnetic headelement (hereinafter called a magnetic space).

A reduction in magnetic space is achieved by reducing the amount offlying of the slider. A reduction in magnetic space contributes not onlyto an improvement in the reproducing output of the reproducing head butalso to an improvement in the overwrite property of the recording head.

The following is a description of the problem that arises when themagnetic space is reduced. Conventionally, lapping of the air bearingsurface of the slider 120 is performed on a rotating tin surface platethrough the use of diamond slurry, for example.

A plurality of materials that make up the slider 120 have differenthardnesses. For example, a comparison is made between: aluminum oxideand titanium carbide that is a ceramic material used for the substrate101; a magnetic material such as NiFe used for the bottom shield layer103, the bottom pole layer 108, the top pole tip 110, the top pole layer116 and so on; and alumina used for the insulating layer 127. Thehardness of aluminum oxide and titanium carbide is the greatest whilethat of NiFe is the smallest. The hardness of alumina is smaller thanthat of aluminum oxide and titanium carbide, and greater than that ofNiFe.

If the slider 120 that includes a plurality of layers having differenthardnesses as thus described is lapped on a tin surface plate usingdiamond slurry as an abrasive, differences in level may result among thelayers having different hardnesses. For example, as shown in FIG. 40, adifference in level is created between the insulating portion 127 andthe substrate 101, such that the insulating portion 127 is recessedrelative to the substrate 101. This difference in level has a dimensionR of 3 to 5 nm, for example. Although not shown, a difference of about 1to 2 nm in level is created between the insulating portion 127 and thetop pole layer 116, for example, which is a layer made up of a magneticmaterial such as NiFe, with the top pole layer 116 recessed relative tothe insulating portion 127. Those differences in level hinder areduction in magnetic space.

As thus described, the related-art thin-film magnetic head may have adifference in level in the air bearing surface of the slider 120, theportion corresponding to the head element 122 being recessed behind theother part. As a result, it is difficult to reduce the magnetic space,and to improve the recording density.

Since it is difficult to reduce the magnetic space of the related-artthin-film magnetic head as described above, it is impossible to improvethe performance of the reproducing head in particular to a sufficientdegree, such as an improvement in the reproducing output and a reductionin half width of the reproducing head. As a result, the problem of therelated art is that the error rate of the hard disk devices for highdensity recording increases and the yield of the hard disk devicesdecreases.

Meanwhile, as the magnetic space is reduced, the slider is likely tocollide with the recording medium, which can result in damage to therecording medium and the thin-film magnetic head element. To avoid this,it is required to enhance the smoothness of the surface of the medium.However, the slider easily sticks to the medium if the smoothness of thesurface of the medium is enhanced. This results in the problem that theslider is harder to take off from the recording medium when therecording medium starts rotation from a resting state where the slideris in contact with the recording medium.

Conventionally, a crown or a camber is formed on the air bearing surfaceof the slider in order to prevent the slider from sticking to therecording medium. A crown refers to a convex surface which gently curvesalong the length of the slider 120 as shown in FIG. 40. A camber refersto a convex surface which gently curves along the width of the slider120 as shown in FIG. 41. The crown has a difference of elevation C1 onthe order of 10 to 50 nm. The camber has a difference of elevation C2 onthe order of 5 to 20 nm.

Crowns are conventionally formed, for example, by changing theorientation of the bar with respect to the surface plate when lappingthe air bearing surface of the bar.

Cambers are conventionally formed by the following method, for example.That is, after lapping the air bearing surface of the bar to adjust MRheight, slits are made in the bar, using a diamond grinder or the like,at positions at which the slider portions are to be separated. Then, theair bearing surface of the bar is re-lapped lightly on a concave surfaceplate.

In the above-described method for forming cambers, after the MR heightis precisely adjusted by lapping the air bearing surface of the bar, theair bearing surface of the bar is lapped again by about 10 to 20 nm inorder to form the camber. This results in a problem that the MR heightcan deviate from its desired value. Further, in this method, when theair bearing surface of the bar is lapped on the concave surface plate,the bar can be scratched by stain and dust on the surface plate, whichresults in a problem of a lower yield of the thin-film magnetic heads.Further, in this method, when the air bearing surface of the bar islapped on the concave surface plate, chippings of the electrode layerconnected to the MR element may be jammed and spread between the airbearing surface and the surface plate, producing a defect called asmear. The smear sometimes causes an electric short circuit between theMR element and the shield layers. The short circuit can lower thesensitivity of the reproducing head and produce noise in the reproducingoutput, thereby deteriorating the performance of the reproducing head.

Further, if crowns/cambers are to be formed on the air bearing surfacesof the sliders, the costs for manufacturing the sliders can be raisedbecause of the steps of forming the crowns/cambers.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a slider of a thin-filmmagnetic head and a method of manufacturing the same, capable ofreducing the magnetic space while preventing damage to a recordingmedium or a thin-film magnetic head element due to a collision betweenthe slider and the recording medium, and preventing the slider fromsticking to the recording medium.

A slider of a thin-film magnetic head according to the inventioncomprises:

a slider main body having: a medium facing surface that faces toward arotating recording medium; an air inflow end; and an air outflow end;and

a thin-film magnetic head element disposed near the air outflow end andnear the medium facing surface of the slider main body, wherein:

the medium facing surface has: a first part closer to the air outflowend; a second part closer to the air inflow end; and a border partbetween the first part and the second part, the second part beingslanted against the first part so that the entire medium facing surfacehas a convex shape bent at the border part.

According to the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention,the entire medium facing surface has a convex shape bent at the borderpart. When the slider main body comes into contact with the surface ofthe recording medium, the border part makes contact with the surface ofthe recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, while therecording medium is rotating, the second part may slant against asurface of the recording medium so that the air inflow end gets fartherfrom the recording medium than the border part does. In this case, thesecond part and the surface of the recording medium may form an angle ofno greater than 30° while the recording medium is rotating.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the slidermain body may be in contact with a surface of the recording medium whilethe recording medium is at rest, and may stay away from the surface ofthe recording medium while the recording medium is rotating. In thiscase, when the slider main body comes into contact with the surface ofthe recording medium, the border part may be the first to make contactwith the surface of the recording medium. On the other hand, when theslider main body takes off from the surface of the recording medium, theborder part may be the last to depart from the surface of the recordingmedium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the mediumfacing surface may have a concavity/convexity for controllingorientation of the slider main body during the rotation of the recordingmedium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, regardlessof whether the recording medium is rotating or at rest, the slider mainbody may be in contact with the surface of the recording medium at theborder part, and the first part and the second part may slant againstthe surface of the recording medium so that the air outflow end and theair inflow end are off the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the firstpart and the second part may form an angle of no greater than 30°.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the mediumfacing surface may have a recess formed in a region including the borderpart.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the slidermain body may include: a substrate portion that has a surface facingtoward the recording medium and makes a base of the thin-film magnetichead element; and an insulating portion that has a surface facing towardthe recording medium and surrounds the thin-film magnetic head element.In this case, the medium facing surface may have a recess formed in aregion including the border part, and the recess may be formed in thesubstrate portion.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, when theslider main body includes the substrate portion and the insulatingportion, the slider main body may further include a protection layerthat covers the surfaces of the substrate portion and the insulatingportion facing toward the recording medium. In this case, the mediumfacing surface may have a recess formed in a region including the borderpart, and the recess may be formed in the protection layer. Theprotection layer may be made of alumina or diamond-like carbon.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, when theslider main body includes the substrate portion and the insulatingportion, the surface of the insulating portion facing toward therecording medium may be located farther from the recording medium than apart of the surface of the substrate portion facing toward the recordingmedium is, the part being adjacent to the surface of the insulatingportion facing toward the recording medium. In this case, the slidermain body may be in contact with a surface of the recording mediumregardless of whether the recording medium is rotating or at rest, and aportion of the first part, the portion belonging to the substrateportion, may be in contact with the surface of the recording medium atleast while the recording medium is rotating.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, when theslider main body includes the substrate portion and the insulatingportion, the length of a portion of the first part in the direction ofair passage, the portion belonging to the substrate portion, may beequal to or less than 50% the length of the entire substrate portion inthe direction of air passage.

A method of the invention is provided for manufacturing a slider of athin-film magnetic head, the slider comprising: a slider main bodyhaving a medium facing surface that faces toward a rotating recordingmedium, an air inflow end, and an air outflow end; and a thin-filmmagnetic head element disposed near the air outflow end and near themedium facing surface of the slider main body, wherein: the mediumfacing surface has: a first part closer to the air outflow end; a secondpart closer to the air inflow end; and a border part between the firstpart and the second part, the second part being slanted against thefirst part so that the entire medium facing surface has a convex shapebent at the border part.

The method of manufacturing the slider comprises the steps of:

forming a slider material containing a portion to be the slider mainbody and the thin-film magnetic head element, and

processing the slider material so as to form the medium facing surfacehaving the first part, the second part and the border part, and the airinflow end and the air outflow end on the slider material.

According to the slider of a thin-film magnetic head manufactured by themethod of the invention, the entire medium facing surface has a convexshape bent at the border and, when the slider main body comes intocontact with the surface of the recording medium, the border part makescontact with the surface of the recording medium.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, the step ofprocessing the slider material may include the steps of: lapping theslider material to form the first part; and lapping the slider materialto form the second part.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, the step ofprocessing the slider material may include the step of forming, on themedium facing surface, a concavity/convexity for controlling orientationof the slider main body during the rotation of the recording medium.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, the first partand the second part may form an angle of no greater than 30°.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, the step ofprocessing the slider material may include the step of forming a recessin the medium facing surface at a region including the border part.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, the portion tobe the slider main body may include: a substrate portion that has asurface facing toward the recording medium and makes a base of thethin-film magnetic head element; and an insulating portion that has asurface facing toward the recording medium and surrounds the thin-filmmagnetic head element. In this case, the step of processing the slidermaterial may include the step of forming a recess in the medium facingsurface at a region including the border part by etching the substrateportion.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, when theportion to be the slider main body includes the substrate portion andthe insulating portion, the step of processing the slider material mayinclude the step of forming a protection layer for covering the surfacesof the substrate portion and the insulating portion facing toward therecording medium. The step of processing the slider material may alsoinclude the step of forming a recess in the medium facing surface at aregion including the border part by etching the protection layer. Theprotection layer may be made of alumina or diamond-like carbon.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the invention, when theportion to be the slider main body includes the substrate portion andthe insulating portion, the surface of the insulating portion facingtoward the recording medium may be located farther from the recordingmedium than a part of the surface of the substrate portion facing towardthe recording medium is, the part being adjacent to the surface of theinsulating portion facing toward the recording medium. The length of aportion of the first part in the direction of air passage, the portionbelonging to the substrate portion, may be equal to or less than 50% thelength of the entire substrate portion in the direction of air passage.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention willappear more fully from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a slider according to a first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slider according to the firstembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are cross sections for illustrating a step in anexample of a method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head element.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B.

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are cross sections for illustrating a configurationof an example of the thin-film magnetic head element.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the main part of the thin-film magnetic headelement shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an array of slider portions on awafer to be used in a method of manufacturing the slider according tothe first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of alapping apparatus for lapping a bar in the first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configurationof the lapping apparatus shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a step in the method of manufacturing theslider according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view for illustrating a step that follows FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a side view for illustrating a step that follows FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a side view for illustrating a step that follows FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a side view for illustrating a step that follows FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a side view showing an example of the shape of the slideraccording to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a head gimbal assembly incorporatingthe slider according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view showing the main part of a hard diskdrive in which the slider according to the first embodiment of theinvention is used.

FIG. 21 is a top view of the hard disk drive in which the slideraccording to the first embodiment of the invention is used.

FIG. 22 is a side view showing a state of the slider according to thefirst embodiment of the invention when the recording medium is rotating.

FIG. 23 is a side view showing a state of the slider according to thefirst embodiment of the invention when the recording medium is at rest.

FIG. 24 is a plot for illustrating an example of the waveform ofreproducing output of the thin-film magnetic head element of the slideraccording to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 25 is a side view showing another example of the shape of theslider according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing an example of a configuration of aslider according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 27 is a side view showing a state of the slider shown in FIG. 26when the recording medium is rotating and at rest.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing another example of theconfiguration of the slider according to the second embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a slider according to a thirdembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 30 is a side view showing a state of the slider shown in FIG. 29when the recording medium is rotating.

FIG. 31 is a side view showing a state of the slider according to afourth embodiment of the invention when the recording medium isrotating.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing an example of a configuration ofthe slider according to the fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing another example of theconfiguration of the slider according to the fourth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 34A and FIG. 34B are cross sections for illustrating a step of amethod of manufacturing a related-art thin-film magnetic head element.

FIG. 35A and FIG. 35B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 34A and FIG. 34B.

FIG. 36A and FIG. 36B are cross sections for illustrating a step thatfollows FIG. 35A and FIG. 35B.

FIG. 37A and FIG. 37B are cross sections of the related-art thin-filmmagnetic head element.

FIG. 38 is a top view of the related-art thin-film magnetic headelement.

FIG. 39 is a bottom view illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe air bearing surface of a related-art slider.

FIG. 40 is a cross section illustrating the related-art slider and arecording medium in a state in which the recording medium is at rest.

FIG. 41 is a front view showing the related-art slider of the relatedart as viewed from the upper side of FIG. 39.

FIG. 42 is a cross section illustrating the related-art slider and therecording medium in a state in which the recording medium has juststarted rotation from a resting state.

FIG. 43 is a cross section illustrating the related-art slider flyingover the surface of the recording medium.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to describe a configurationof a slider of a thin-film magnetic head (hereinafter simply referred toas a slider) according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 isa side view of the slider according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is aperspective view of the slider according to the embodiment.

The slider 20 of the embodiment comprises a slider main body 21 and athin-film magnetic head element 22. The slider main body 21 has: an airbearing surface 30, an air inflow end 41, and an air outflow end 42. Theair bearing surface 30 serves as a medium facing surface that facestoward a rotating recording medium. The air inflow end 41 is an end fromwhich an airflow created by the rotation of the recording medium flowsin. The air outflow end 42 is an end from which this airflow flows out.The thin-film magnetic head element 22 is disposed near the air outflowend 42 and near the air bearing surface 30 of the slider main body 21.

The air bearing surface 30 has first parts 31 closer to the air outflowend 42, second parts 32 closer to the air inflow end 41, and borderparts 33 each located between the first and second parts 31 and 32. Thefirst parts 31 lie in parallel to the surface of the slider main body 21opposite to the air bearing surface 30. The second parts 32 are slantedagainst the first parts 31 so that the entire air bearing surface 30 hasa convex shape (roof shape) bent at the border parts 33. A first part 31and a second part 32 preferably form an angle θ of no greater than 30°.

The slider main body 21 includes: a substrate portion 23 that has asurface facing toward the recording medium (the surface on the lowerside of FIG. 1) and makes a base of the thin-film magnetic head element22; and an insulating portion 24 that has a surface facing toward therecording medium (the surface on the lower side of FIG. 1) and surroundsthe thin-film magnetic head element 22. The slider main body 21 furtherincludes a protection layer 25 that covers the surfaces of the substrateportion 23 and the insulating portion 24 facing toward the recordingmedium. The substrate portion 23 is made of aluminum oxide and titaniumcarbide, for example. The insulating portion 24 is made chiefly ofalumina, for example. The protection layer 25 is made of alumina ordiamond-like carbon, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air bearing surface 30 has concavities andconvexities for controlling the orientation of the slider main body 21during the rotation of the recording medium. Specifically, the airbearing surface 30 includes surfaces 30 a that are closest to therecording medium, a surface 30 b having a first difference in level withrespect to these surfaces 30 a, and a surface 30 c having a seconddifference in level, greater than the first difference in level, withrespect to the surfaces 30 a. The surfaces 30 a are disposed near bothsides along the width of the slider main body 21 (the lateral directionin FIG. 2). The surface 30 b is disposed near the air inflow end 41. Thesurface 30 c corresponds to the entire air bearing surface 30 excludingthe surfaces 30 a and 30 b.

The slider 20 of the embodiment can give the slider main body 21 a forcein a direction away from the recording medium or a force toward therecording medium by means of airflow according to the shape of theconcavities/convexities of the air bearing surface 30. Therefore, it ispossible to control the orientation of the slider main body 21 over therotating recording medium through designing the shape of theconcavities/convexities of the air bearing surface 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, each first part 31 of the air bearing surface 30 isarranged across the substrate portion 23 and the insulating portion 24.The length L1 of a portion of the first part 31 in the direction of airpassage (the lateral direction in FIG. 1), the portion belonging to thesubstrate portion 23, is preferably equal to or less than 50% the lengthL0 of the entire substrate portion 23 in the direction of air passage.

The length L0 of the entire substrate portion 23 in the direction of airpassage is 1.2 mm, for example. Meanwhile, the length L3 of theinsulating portion 24 in the direction of air passage is about 30 to 40μm. Therefore, the length of the slider main body 21 in the direction ofair passage is approximately equal to the length L0 of the entiresubstrate portion 23 in the direction of air passage.

At the air outflow end 42, the slider main body 21 has a height(vertical length in FIG. 1) H0 of 0.3 mm, for example. The protectionlayer 25 has a thickness of approximately 3 to 5 nm, for example.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the air inflow end 41 anda virtual plane containing the first part 31 of the air bearing surface30 will be referred to as a difference of elevation and represented by asymbol H1. The difference of elevation H1 is determined by the lengthsL0, L1 and the angle θ. The following provides examples of therelationship among the length L1, the angle θ, and the difference ofelevation H1 where the length L0 is 1.2 mm.

When the length L1 is 10 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H1 of 10.39 μm, 20.77 μm, 209.83 μm, and 687.05μm, respectively.

When the length L1 is 50 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H1 of 10.04 μm, 20.07 μm, 202.78 μm, and 663.95μm, respectively.

When the length L1 is 100 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H1 of 9.60 μm, 19.20 μm, 193.96 μm, and 635.09μm, respectively.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3A to FIG. 8A, FIG. 3B to FIG. 8B, andFIG. 9 to describe an example of a method of manufacturing the thin-filmmagnetic head element 22 of the slider according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 3A to FIG. 8A are cross sections each orthogonal to theair bearing surface and the top surface of the substrate. FIG. 3B toFIG. 8B are cross sections of magnetic pole portion parallel to the airbearing surface.

In the method of manufacturing the thin-film magnetic head element 22 ofthis example, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, an insulating layer 2made of alumina (Al₂O₃), for example, of about 5 μm in thickness isdeposited on a substrate 1 made of aluminum oxide and titanium carbide(Al₂O₃-TiC), for example. Next, on the insulating layer 2, a bottomshield layer 3, made of a magnetic material such as Permalloy and havinga thickness of about 3 μm, is formed for the reproducing head. Thebottom shield layer 3 is selectively formed on the insulating layer 2through plating with a photoresist film as a mask, for example. Next,although not shown, an insulating layer of alumina, for example, isformed to a thickness of 4 to 5 μm, for example, over the entiresurface. The insulating layer is then polished through chemicalmechanical polishing (CMP), for example, so that the bottom shield layer3 is exposed, and the surface is flattened.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, on the bottom shield layer 3, abottom shield gap film 4 as an insulating film is formed to a thicknessof about 20 to 40 nm, for example. Next, an MR element 5 for magneticsignal detection is formed to a thickness of tens of nanometers on thebottom shield gap film 4. One of ends of the MR element 5 is disposed inthe air bearing surface 30. The MR element 5 may be formed throughselectively etching an MR film formed through sputtering. The MR element5 may be an element utilizing a magnetosensitive film that exhibitsmagnetoresistivity, such as an AMR element, a GMR element or a tunnelmagnetoresistive (TMR) element. Next, a pair of electrode layers 6having a thickness of tens of nanometers are formed on the bottom shieldgap film 4. The electrode layers 6 are electrically connected to the MRelement 5. Next, a top shield gap film 7 having a thickness of about 20to 40 nm, for example, is formed as an insulating film on the bottomshield gap film 4 and the MR element 5. The MR element 5 is embedded inthe shield gap films 4 and 7. The insulating material to be used for theshield gap films 4 and 7 may be alumina, aluminum nitride, ordiamond-like carbon (DLC). The shield gap films 4 and 7 may be formedthrough sputtering or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Next, a first layer 8 a of a top-shield-layer-cum-bottom-pole layer(hereinafter called a bottom pole layer) 8 is selectively formed to athickness of about 1.0 to 1.5 μm on the top shield gap film 7. Thebottom pole layer 8 is made of a magnetic material and used for bothreproducing head and recording head. The bottom pole layer 8 is made upof the first layer 8 a, and a second layer 8 b and a third layer 8 cdescribed later. The first layer 8 a of the bottom pole layer 8 isdisposed to face at least part of a thin-film coil described later.

Next, the second layer 8 b and the third layer 8 c of the bottom polelayer 8, each having a thickness of about 1.5 to 2.5 μm, are formed onthe first layer 8 a. The second layer 8 b includes a magnetic poleportion of the bottom pole layer 8 and is connected to a surface of thefirst layer 8 a that faces toward a recording gap layer described later(on the upper side of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B). The third layer 8 c isprovided for connecting the first layer 8 a to a top pole layerdescribed later, and is disposed near the center of the thin-film coildescribed later. A portion of the second layer 8 b facing the top polelayer has an end located farther from the air bearing surface 30, andthe position of this end defines the throat height.

The second layer 8 b and the third layer 8 c of the bottom pole layer 8may be made of NiFe (80 weight % Ni and 20 weight % Fe), or NiFe (45weight % Ni and 55 weight % Fe) as a high saturation flux densitymaterial and formed through plating, or may be made of a material suchas FeN or FeZrN as a high saturation flux density material throughsputtering. Alternatively, a material such as CoFe or a Co-baseamorphous material as a high saturation flux density material may beused.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, an insulating film 9 having athickness of about 0.3 to 0.6 μm is formed over the entire surface.

Next, a photoresist is patterned through a photolithography process toform a frame (not shown) used for making the thin-film coil throughframe plating. Next, the thin-film coil 10 made of copper (Cu), forexample, is formed by frame plating through the use of the frame. Forexample, the thickness of the coil 10 is about 1.0 to 2.0 μm and thepitch is 1.2 to 2.0 μm. The frame is then removed. In the drawingsnumeral 10 a indicates a portion for connecting the coil 10 to aconductive layer (lead) described later.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, an insulating layer 11 ofalumina, for example, having a thickness of about 3 to 4 μm, is formedover the entire surface. The insulating layer 11 is then polishedthrough CMP, for example, until the second layer 8 b and the third layer8 c of the bottom pole layer 8 are exposed, and the surface isflattened. Although the coil 10 is not exposed in FIG. 6A, the coil 10may be exposed.

Next, a recording gap layer 12 made of an insulating material is formedto a thickness of 0.2 to 0.3 μm, for example, on the second layer 8 band the third layer 8 c of the bottom pole layer 8 exposed and theinsulating layer 11. In general, the insulating material used for therecording gap layer 12 may be alumina, aluminum nitride, asilicon-dioxide-base material, a silicon-nitride-base material, ordiamond-like carbon (DLC) and so on. The recording gap layer 12 may befabricated through sputtering or CVD.

Next, a portion of the recording gap layer 12 located on top of thethird layer 8 c of the bottom pole layer 8 is etched to form a contacthole for making the magnetic path. Portions of the recording gap layer12 and the insulating layer 11 that are located on top of the connectingportion 10 a of the coil 10 are etched to form a contact hole.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, on the recording gap layer 12, atop pole layer 13 having a thickness of about 2.0 to 3.0 μm is formed ina region extending from the air bearing surface 30 to a portion on topof the third layer 8 c of the bottom pole layer 8. At the same time, aconductive layer 16 having a thickness of about 2.0 to 3.0 μm is formedto be connected to the portion 10 a of the thin-film coil 10. The toppole layer 13 is in contact with the third layer 8 c of the bottom polelayer 8 and magnetically coupled thereto through the contact hole formedin the portion on top of the third layer 8 c.

The top pole layer 13 may be made of NiFe (80 weight % Ni and 20 weight% Fe) or a high saturation flux density material such as NiFe (45 weight% Ni and 55 weight % Fe) through plating, or may be made of a materialsuch as FeN or FeZrN as a high saturation flux density material throughsputtering. Alternatively, a material such as CoFe or a Co-baseamorphous material as a high saturation flux density material may beused. To improve the high frequency characteristic, the top pole layer13 may be made of a number of layers of inorganic insulating films andmagnetic layers of Permalloy, for example.

Next, the recording gap layer 12 is selectively etched through dryetching, using the top pole layer 13 as a mask. The dry etching may bereactive ion etching (RIE) using a chlorine-base gas such as BCl₂ orCl₂, or a fluorine-base gas such as CF₄ or SF₆, for example. Next, thesecond layer 8 b of the bottom pole layer 8 is selectively etched byabout 0.3 to 0.6 μm through argon ion milling, for example. A trimstructure as shown in FIG. 7B is thus formed. The trim structuresuppresses an increase in the effective track width due to expansion ofa magnetic flux generated during writing in a narrow track.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, an overcoat layer 17 of alumina,for example, having a thickness of 20 to 40 μm is formed over the entiresurface. The surface of the overcoat layer 17 is then flattened and pads(not shown) for electrodes are formed on the overcoat layer 17. Finally,lapping of the slider including the foregoing layers is performed toform the air bearing surface 30 of the recording head and thereproducing head. The thin-film magnetic head element is thus completed.

FIG. 9 is a top view illustrating the main part of the thin-filmmagnetic head element shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, wherein the overcoatlayer 17 and the other insulating layers and films are omitted.

The thin-film magnetic head element of this example comprises thereproducing head and the recording head (induction-type electromagnetictransducer). The reproducing head includes the MR element 5 for magneticsignal detection, and the bottom shield layer 3 and the top shield layer(bottom pole layer 8) for shielding the MR element 5. Portions of thebottom shield layer 3 and the top shield layer on a side of the mediumfacing surface that faces toward a recording medium, i.e., air bearingsurface 30, are opposed to each other while the MR element 5 is placedbetween these portions of the bottom shield layer 3 and the top shieldlayer.

The recording head includes the bottom pole layer 8 and the top polelayer 13 magnetically coupled to each other, each of which includes atleast one layer. The bottom pole layer 8 and the top pole layer 13include magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and located inregions on a side of the air bearing surface 30. The recording headfurther includes: the recording gap layer 12 provided between themagnetic pole portion of the bottom pole layer 8 and the magnetic poleportion of the top pole layer 13; and the thin-film coil 10 at leastpart of which is disposed between the bottom pole layer 8 and the toppole layer 13 and is insulated from the bottom and top pole layers 8 and13.

The substrate portion 23 of the slider main body 21 shown in FIG. 1 andFIG. 2 is composed of the substrate 1 of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. Theinsulating portion 24 of the slider main body 21 is composed mostly ofthe overcoat layer 17.

Next, the outline of a method of manufacturing a slider according to thepresent embodiment is described. In the method of manufacturing a slideraccording to the present embodiment, a wafer that includes a pluralityof rows of portions (hereinafter called slider portions) to be sliders20 is cut in one direction to form blocks called bars each of whichincludes a row of slider portions. Each slider portion includes thethin-film magnetic head element 22 and a portion to be the slider mainbody 21. Each bar corresponds to the slider material in the presentinvention.

Next, the air bearing surfaces 30 each having the first parts 31, thesecond parts 32 and the border parts 33 are formed on the bar, alongwith the air inflow ends 41 and the air outflow ends 42. The first parts31, the second parts 32, and the border parts 33 are formed, forexample, by lapping the bar twice using a lapping apparatus, whilechanging orientation of the bar with respect to the surface plate. Inthis case, the bar is initially lapped while detecting the resistancevalues of the MR elements 5 in a plurality of the slider portionsincluded in the bar so as to make the slider portions equal in MR heightand in throat height, to thereby form surfaces including the first parts31 on the bar. Next, the bar is lapped with its orientation changed withrespect to the surface plate to form the second parts 32 and the borderparts 33.

Subsequently, the surfaces 30 a, 30 b, and 30 c are formed in the airbearing surfaces 30 by etching, for example. Finally, the bar is cutbetween adjacent ones of slider portions to separate it into individualsliders 20.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an array of slider portions on awafer. In FIG. 10, the reference numeral 50 represents each sliderportion. Each bar includes a plurality of slider portions 50 aligning ina row in the lateral direction of FIG. 10. For easy understanding, FIG.10 shows the topmost slider portions 50 as having their air bearingsurfaces formed already.

With reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, description will now be given ofan example of the method of lapping the bar while detecting theresistance values of the MR elements 5 in the plurality of sliderportions 50 included in the bar so as to make the slider portions 50equal in MR height and in throat height.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration ofa lapping apparatus for lapping the bar. This lapping apparatus 51comprises: a table 60; a rotating lapping table 61 provided on the table60; a strut 62 provided on the table 60 by the side of the rotatinglapping table 61; and a material supporter 70 attached to the strut 62through an arm 63. The rotating lapping table 61 has a lapping plate 61a to come to contact with the bar.

The material supporter 70 comprises a jig retainer 73 and three loadapplication rods 75A, 75B and 75C placed in front of the jig retainer 73with specific spacing. A jig 80 is to be fixed to the jig retainer 73.The jig 80 has three load application sections each of which is in theshape of a hole having an oblong cross section. Load application pinsare provided at the lower ends of the load application rods 75A, 75B and75C, respectively. Each of the load application pins has a head to beinserted to each of the load application sections (holes), the headhaving an oblong cross section. Each of the load application pins isdriven by an actuator (not shown) in the vertical, horizontal (along thelength of the jig 80) and rotational directions.

The jig 80 has a retainer for retaining a bar. With this jig 80, theretainer and the bar are deformed by applying loads in variousdirections to the three load application sections. The air bearingsurface 30 of the bar is thereby lapped while the throat heights and MRheights of the thin-film magnetic head elements 22 in the bar arecontrolled so that the target values are obtained.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuitconfiguration of the lapping apparatus shown in FIG. 11. This lappingapparatus comprises: nine actuators 91 to 99 for applying loads in thethree directions to the load application sections of the jig 80; acontroller 86 for controlling the nine actuators 91 to 99 throughmonitoring the resistance values of a plurality of MR elements 5 in thebar; and a multiplexer 87, connected to the MR elements 5 in the barthrough a connector (not shown), for selectively connecting one of theMR elements 5 to the controller 86.

In this lapping apparatus, the controller 86 monitors the resistancevalues of the MR elements 5 in the bar through the multiplexer 87, andcontrols the actuators 91 to 99 so that throat height and MR height ofevery thin-film magnetic head element 22 fall within a certain limitedtolerance.

Next, with reference to FIG. 13 to FIG. 17, description will be given indetail of the method of manufacturing a slider according to theembodiment. Each of FIG. 13 to FIG. 17 is a side view of a sliderportion 50. The slider portion 50 includes the substrate portion 23, theinsulating portion 24, and the thin-film magnetic head element 22.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 13, the bar is initially lapped while detecting the resistancevalues of the MR elements 5 in a plurality of the slider portions 50included in the bar so as to make every slider portion 50 equal in MRheight and in throat height, and a surface 31A including the first part31 of the air bearing surface 30 is thereby formed for each sliderportion 50. At this point, the air outflow end 42 is formed for eachslider portion 50.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the bar is lapped with its orientationchanged with respect to the surface plate to form the second part 32 andthe border part 33 of the air bearing surface 30. The surface 31A leftunlapped here makes the first part 31. At this point, the air inflow end41 is formed for each slider portion 50. At this point, a surface 50 athat includes the surface 30 a closest to the recording medium is formedfor each slider portion 50.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the surface 50 a of the slider portion 50 isselectively etched to form a surface 50 b that includes the surface 30b. The surface 50 a left unetched here makes the surfaces 30 a. Thedepth of the surface 50 b from the surfaces 30 a is approximately 1 μm,for example.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the surface 50 b of the slider portion 50 isselectively etched to form the surface 30 c. The surface 50 b leftunetched here makes the surface 30 b. The depth of the surface 30 c fromthe surfaces 30 a is approximately 2-3 μm, for example.

The etching of the surfaces 50 a and 50 b of the slider portion 50 iseffected, for example, by reactive ion etching (RIE) using achlorine-base gas such as BCl₂ or Cl₂, or a fluorine-base gas such asCF₄ or SF₆, for example.

Then, as shown in FIG. 17, the protection layer 25 is formed to coverthe surfaces of the substrate portion 23 and the insulating portion 24facing toward the recording medium. The protection layer 25 is made ofalumina or diamond-like carbon, for example. The protection layer 25 hasa thickness of about 3 to 5 nm, for example. Subsequently, the bar iscut between adjacent ones of slider portions 50 to separate the bar intoindividual sliders 20.

Concurrently with the formation of the surface 30 b or the surface 30 cfor the slider portion 50, edges of the air outflow end 42 may bechamfered.

FIG. 18 shows an example of the shape of the slider 20. In this example,the length L0 of the entire substrate portion 23 in the direction of airpassage is 1.2 mm. The height H0 of the slider main body 21 at the airoutflow end 42 is 0.3 mm. The length L1 of a portion of the first part31 in the direction of air passage, the portion belonging to thesubstrate portion 23, is 50 μm. The angle θ formed between the firstpart 31 and the second part 32 is 1°. The difference of elevation H1 is20 μm.

The slider 20 shown in FIG. 18 was mounted on a suspension to bedescribed later and was allowed to fly over a rotating recording medium45. In this case, the distance between the first part 31 and therecording medium 45 was about 5.0 nm.

Reference is now made to FIG. 19 to FIG. 21 to describe a head gimbalassembly and a hard disk drive incorporating the slider 20 of thepresent embodiment. Now, reference is made to FIG. 19 to describe thehead gimbal assembly 220. In a hard disk drive, the slider 20 isdisposed to face toward a hard disk 262 which is a circular-plate-shapedrecording medium that is rotated and driven. The head gimbal assembly220 comprises the slider 20 and a suspension 221 that flexibly supportsthe slider 20. The suspension 221 incorporates: a plate-spring-shapedload beam 222 made of stainless steel, for example; a flexure 223 towhich the slider 20 is joined, the flexure being provided at an end ofthe load beam 222 and giving an appropriate degree of freedom to theslider 20; and a base plate 224 provided at the other end of the loadbeam 222. The base plate 224 is attached to an arm 230 of an actuatorthat moves the slider 20 along the x direction across the track of thehard disk 262. The actuator incorporates the arm 230 and a voice coilmotor that drives the arm 230. A gimbal section that maintains theorientation of the slider 20 is provided in the portion of the flexure223 on which the slider 20 is mounted.

The head gimbal assembly 220 is attached to the arm 230 of the actuator.The head gimbal assembly 220 attached to the single arm 230 is called ahead arm assembly. A plurality of head gimbal assemblies 220 eachattached to a plurality of arms of a carriage are called a head stackassembly.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example of the head arm assembly. In the head armassembly the head gimbal assembly 220 is attached to an end of the arm230. A coil 231 that is part of the voice coil motor is fixed to theother end of the arm 230. A bearing 233 is provided in the middle of thearm 230. The bearing 233 is attached to an axis 234 that rotatablysupports the arm 230.

Reference is now made to FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 to describe an example ofthe head stack assembly and the hard disk drive. FIG. 20 is anexplanatory view illustrating the main part of the hard disk drive. FIG.21 is a top view of the hard disk drive. The head stack assembly 250incorporates a carriage 251 having a plurality of arms 252. A pluralityof head gimbal assemblies 220 are each attached to the arms 252 suchthat the assemblies 220 are arranged in the vertical direction withspacing between adjacent ones. A coil 253 that is part of the voice coilmotor is mounted on the carriage 251 on a side opposite to the arms 252.The head stack assembly 250 is installed in the hard disk drive. Thehard disk drive includes a plurality of hard disk platters 262 mountedon a spindle motor 261. Two of the sliders 20 are allocated to each ofthe platters 262, such that the two sliders 20 face each other with eachof the platters 262 in between. The voice coil motor includes permanentmagnets 263 located to face each other, the coil 253 of the head stackassembly 250 being placed between the magnets 263.

The head stack assembly 250 except the slider 20 and the actuatorsupport the slider 20 and align it with respect to the hard disk platter262.

In this hard disk drive, the actuator moves the slider 20 across thetrack of the platter 262 and aligns the slider 20 with respect to theplatter 262. The thin-film magnetic head incorporated in the slider 20writes data on the platter 262 through the use of the recording head andreads data stored on the platter 262 through the use of the reproducinghead.

Reference is now made to FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 to describe the functionsand effects of the slider 20 according to the embodiment. FIG. 22 is aside view showing a state of the slider 20 when the recording medium 45is rotating. FIG. 23 is a side view showing a state of the slider 20when the recording medium 45 is at rest.

As shown in FIG. 22, while the recording medium 45 is rotating, theslider main body 21 flies by means of the airflow created by therotation of the recording medium 45 and is off the surface of therecording medium 45. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 23, the slidermain body 21 is in contact with the surface of the recording medium 45while the recording medium 45 is at rest.

As shown in FIG. 22, while the recording medium 45 is rotating, thesecond parts 32 of the air bearing surface 30 slant against the surfaceof the recording medium 45 so that the air inflow end 41 gets fartherfrom the recording medium 45 than the border parts 33 do. While therecording medium 45 is rotating, the first parts 31 of the air bearingsurface 30 become almost parallel to the surface of the recording medium45. While the recording medium 45 is rotating, each second part 32preferably forms an angle no greater than 30° with respect to thesurface of the recording medium 45. During the rotation of the recordingmedium 45, when the first parts 31 of the air bearing surface 30 becomeparallel to the surface of the recording medium 45, each second part 32and the surface of the recording medium 45 form an angle equal to theangle θ that is formed between the first and second parts 31 and 32.Here, the distance FH from the first parts 31 to the surface of therecording medium 45 is about 5 nm. Such orientation of the slider mainbody 21 during the rotation of the recording medium 45 can be controlledby means of the shape of the concavities/convexities on the air bearingsurface 30.

When the recording medium 45 shifts from the rotating state to theresting state and the slider main body 21 comes into contact with thesurface of the recording medium 45, the border parts 33 are the first tomake contact with the surface of the recording medium 45. When therecording medium 45 shifts from the resting state to the rotating stateand the slider main body 21 takes off from the surface of the recordingmedium 45, the border parts 33 are the last to depart from the surfaceof the recording medium 45. Thus, the border parts 33 function as if awheel of an aircraft does.

As described above, the slider 20 of the embodiment makes contact withthe surface of the recording medium 45 at the border parts 33 of theslider main body 21. Therefore, as compared with conventional sliders,the area in which the slider main body 21 contacts the surface of therecording medium 45 is extremely smaller, yielding an extreme reductionin the frictional resistance between the slider main body 21 and thesurface of the recording medium 45. Therefore, according to the slider20 of the embodiment, the initial contact of the slider main body 21with the surface of the recording medium 45 and the separation of theslider main body 21 from the surface of the recording medium 45 can beperformed smoothly. As a result, the embodiment makes it possible toprevent occurrence of damage to the recording medium 45 and thethin-film magnetic head element 22 due to a collision between the slider20 and the recording medium 45.

According to the slider 20 of the embodiment, the area in which theslider main body 21 is in contact with the surface of the recordingmedium 45 when the recording medium 45 is at rest is extremely smallerthan in conventional sliders. Therefore, it is possible to prevent theslider 20 and the recording medium 45 from sticking to each other.

According to the slider 20 of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 22,during the rotation of the recording medium 45, each second part 32 ofthe air bearing surface 30 slants against the surface of the recordingmedium 45 so that the air inflow end 41 gets farther from the recordingmedium 45 than the border parts 33 do. As a result, the thin-filmmagnetic head element 22 approaches the surface of the recording medium45. Thus, according to the slider 20 of the embodiment, during therotation of the recording medium 45, the thin-film magnetic head element22 can be placed close to the surface of the recording medium 45 whilethe second parts 32 of the air bearing surface 30 are kept farther fromthe recording medium 45 than the thin-film magnetic head element 22 is.Therefore, the embodiment makes it possible to further reduce themagnetic space while avoiding the collision between the slider 20 andthe recording medium 45.

If the edges of the air outflow end 42 are chamfered, it is possible toprevent a collision between the slider 20 and the recording medium 45with higher reliability.

As has been described, according to the slider 20 of the embodiment, itis possible to reduce the magnetic space while preventing damage to therecording medium 45 and the thin-film magnetic head element 22 due to acollision between the slider 20 and the recording medium 45, andpreventing the slider 20 the recording medium 45 from sticking to eachother.

Since the present embodiment allows a reduction in magnetic space, it ispossible to improve the reproducing output of the reproducing head ofthe thin-film magnetic head element 22 and to reduce half width of thereproducing head. As a result, it is possible to improve the recordingdensity. FIG. 24 shows an example of the waveform of reproducing outputof the thin-film magnetic head element 22 of the slider 20 of theembodiment. In FIG. 24 ‘PW50’ indicates the half width of thereproducing output. The half width PW50 is the time required for thereproducing output to reach 50 percent or greater of the peak value.Since the present embodiment allows a reduction in magnetic space, it isalso possible to improve the overwrite property and nonlinear transitionshift of the recording head of the thin-film magnetic head element 22.

Therefore, according to the embodiment, the thin-film magnetic headelement 22 can be improved in the characteristics of both thereproducing head and the recording head. As a result, it is possible toimprove the yield of hard disk drives that implement the slider 20 ofthe embodiment.

In the embodiment, the air bearing surface 30 of the slider 20 can beformed easier than in the cases where crowns or cambers are formed onthe air bearing surfaces of sliders. Besides, there will occur noproblem associated with the crown/camber formation. Thus, according tothe embodiment, as compared to the cases where crowns or cambers areformed on the air bearing surfaces of sliders, it is possible todetermine the shape of the air bearing surface 30 precisely, improve theyield of the slider 20, and reduce the costs for manufacturing theslider 20. From the foregoing, the present embodiment is also excellentin terms of mass productivity.

In the embodiment, the length L1 of a portion of the first part 31 inthe direction of air passage, the portion belonging to the substrateportion 23, is preferably equal to or less than 50% the length L0 of theentire substrate portion 23 in the direction of air passage. If this issatisfied, during rotation of the recording medium 45 the length L ofthe portion that approaches the surface of the recording medium 45 (theportion of the first part 31 belonging to the substrate portion 23) outof the entire substrate portion 23 becomes equal to or less than thelength of the portion that gets away from the surface of the recordingmedium 45 (the second part 32). This makes it possible to prevent acollision between the slider 20 and the recording medium 45 with yethigher reliability.

In the slider 20 shown in FIG. 1, the first parts 31 of the air bearingsurface 30 are parallel to the surface opposite to the air bearingsurface 30 of the slider main body 21. The slider 20 of the embodiment,however, may be shaped as shown in FIG. 25. In the slider 20 shown inFIG. 25, the second parts 32 of the air bearing surface 30 are parallelto the surface opposite to the air bearing surface 30 of the slider mainbody 21. The first parts 31 are slanted against the second parts 32 sothat the entire air bearing surface 30 has a convex shape bent at theborder parts 33. A first part 31 and a second part 32 preferably form anangle θ of no greater than 30°. The length L2 of a portion of the firstpart 31 in the direction of air passage (the lateral direction in FIG.1), the portion belonging to the substrate portion 23, is preferablyequal to or less than 50% the length L0 of the entire substrate portion23 in the direction of air passage. The remainder of the configurationof the slider 20 shown in FIG. 25 is the same as that of the slider 20shown in FIG. 1.

In the slider 20 shown in FIG. 25, the distance between a virtual planecontaining the first part 32 of the air bearing surface 30 and an end ofthe portion of the first part 31 belonging to the substrate portion 23,the end being closer to the air outflow end 42, will be referred to as adifference of elevation and represented by a symbol H2. This differenceof elevation H2 is determined by the lengths L0, L2 and the angle θ. Thefollowing provides examples of the relationship among the length L2, theangle θ, and the difference of elevation H2 where the length L0 is 1.2mm.

When the length L2 is 10 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H2 of 0.09 μm, 0.18 μm, 1.76 μm, and 5.77 μm,respectively.

When the length L2 is 50 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H2 of 0.44 μm, 0.87 μm, 8.82 μm, and 28.87 μm,respectively.

When the length L2 is 100 μm, angles θ of 0.5°, 1°, 10°, and 30° yielddifferences of elevation H2 of 0.87 μm, 1.75 μm, 17.63 μm, and 57.73 μm,respectively.

Reference is now made to FIG. 26 to FIG. 28 to describe a slideraccording to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 26 is aperspective view showing an example of a configuration of the slideraccording to this embodiment. According to the slider 20 of thisembodiment, the slider main body 21 makes contact with the surface ofthe recording medium 45 at the border parts 33 of the air bearingsurface 30 regardless of whether the recording medium 45 is rotating orat rest.

As shown in FIG. 26, in the slider 20 of the embodiment, the air bearingsurface 30 has a plurality of recesses 35 formed in regions includingthe border parts 33. The remainder of the configuration of the slider 20of the embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. Accordingto the slider 20 of the embodiment, since the air bearing surface 30 hasthe recesses 35 formed in the regions including the border parts 33, itis possible to make the area in which the slider main body 21 contactsthe surface of the recording medium 45 smaller than in the firstembodiment.

142 The slider 20 shown in FIG. 26 has the protection layer 25. Therecesses 35 are formed by etching the protection layer 25.

FIG. 28 shows the slider 20 of the embodiment in the case where theprotection layer 25 is not provided. In this slider 20, the recesses 35are formed by etching the substrate portion 23.

In the method of manufacturing the slider 20 of the embodiment, the stepof forming the air bearing surface 30 includes the step of forming therecesses 35 mentioned above. According to the method of manufacturingthe slider 20 in the case where the protection layer 25 is provided, thestep of forming the recesses 35 is performed after the step of formingthe protection layer 25. The recesses 35 are formed by etching theprotection layer 25. According to the method of manufacturing the slider20 in the case where the protection layer 25 is not provided, the stepof forming the recesses 35 is performed after the step of forming thesurfaces 30 a to 30 c. The recesses 35 are formed by etching thesubstrate portion 23. The other steps of the method of manufacturing theslider 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

Reference is now made to FIG. 27 to describe the functions and effectsof the slider 20 according to the embodiment. FIG. 27 is a side viewshowing a state of the slider 20 when the recording medium 45 isrotating and when it is at rest. As shown in FIG. 27, in this embodimentthe slider main body 21 of the slider 20 is in contact with the surfaceof the recording medium 45 at the border parts 33 of the air bearingsurface 30 regardless of whether the recording medium 45 is rotating orat rest. The first and second parts 31 and 32 of the air bearing surface30 are slanted against the surface of the recording medium 45 so thatthe air outflow end 42 and the air inflow end 41 are off the recordingmedium 45, respectively.

While the recording medium 45 is rotating, the distance H4 between theair outflow end 42 of the slider main body 21 and the surface of therecording medium 45 is about 5 nm.

The slider 20 of the embodiment allows a greater reduction in magneticspace as compared with the slider 20 of the first embodiment. Further,according to the embodiment, the slider main body 21 is always incontact with the surface of the recording medium 45. This can preventoccurrence of collision between the slider main body 21 and therecording medium 45 caused by the slider main body 21 coming intocontact with and getting away from the surface of the recording medium45.

According to the slider 20 of the embodiment, since the air bearingsurface 30 has the recesses 35 formed in the regions including theborder parts 33, the area in which the slider main body 21 contacts thesurface of the recording medium 45 is smaller than in the firstembodiment, and therefore the frictional resistance between the slidermain body 21 and the surface of the recording medium 45 is reduced.

Since the slider 20 of the present embodiment allows a greater reductionin magnetic space as compared with the slider 20 of the firstembodiment, it is possible to achieve a greater improvement in thereproducing output and a greater reduction in half width of thereproducing head, as well as greater improvements in the overwriteproperty and nonlinear transition shift of the recording head, ascompared with the first embodiment. As a result, a greater improvementin the yield of the hard disk drives can be achieved.

In the slider 20 of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment,the air bearing surface 30 has concavities and convexities formed by thesurfaces 30 a, 30 b, and 30 c which have differences in level. In thepresent embodiment, these concavities and convexities are used tocontrol the orientation of the slider main body 21 while the recordingmedium 45 is rotating.

The remainder of the configuration, functions and effects of the presentembodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Reference is made to FIG. 29 and FIG. 30 to describe a slider accordingto a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 29 is a perspective viewshowing a configuration of the slider according to the embodiment.According to the slider 20 of the embodiment, the slider main body 21 isin contact with the surface of the recording medium 45 regardless ofwhether the recording medium 45 is rotating or at rest.

In the slider 20 of the embodiment, the first parts 31 of the airbearing surface 30 are formed on a surface of the substrate portion 23that faces toward the recording medium 45. A surface 34 of theinsulating portion 24 facing toward the recording medium 45 is locatedfarther from the recording medium 45 than a part of the surface of thesubstrate portion 23 facing toward the recording medium 45 adjacent tothe surface 34, that is, than the first part 31. The surface 34constitutes part of the air bearing surface 30. The difference in levelR1 between the surface 34 and the first part 31 is about 3 to 4 nm. Thisdifference in level occurs in the step shown in FIG. 13, i.e., the stepof forming the surface 31A including the first part 31 for the sliderportion 50, because of a difference in hardness between the substrateportion 23 and the insulating portion 24. In the present embodiment,this difference in level is utilized to reduce the magnetic space. Theremainder of the configuration of slider 20 of the present embodiment isthe same as that of the second embodiment.

Reference is made to FIG. 30 to describe the functions and effects ofthe slider 20 according to the embodiment. FIG. 30 is a side viewshowing a state of the slider 20 when the recording medium 45 isrotating. As shown in FIG. 30, the slider 20 of the embodiment makescontact with the surface of the recording medium 45 at the first parts31 and the border parts 33 of the air bearing surface 30 while therecording medium 45 is rotating. In this state, the distance between thesurface of the recording medium 45 and the surface 34 of the insulatingportion 24 facing toward the recording medium 45 is equal to R1, or onthe order of 3 to 4 nm. Thus, according to the embodiment, the magneticspace can be reduced significantly.

According to the embodiment, the surface 34 of the insulating portion 24facing toward the recording medium 45 makes no contact with the surfaceof recording medium 45. Therefore, the magnetic space can be reducedsignificantly as mentioned above while the thin-film magnetic headelement 22 is kept away from the surface of the recording medium 45. Asa result, it is possible to prevent damage to the thin-film magnetichead element 22 and the recording medium 45 caused by contact betweenthe thin-film magnetic head element 22 and the recording medium 45.

When the recording medium 45 is at rest, the orientation of the slider20 may be the same as that shown in FIG. 30, or that in FIG. 27 wherethe slider main body 21 is in contact with the surface of the recordingmedium 45 at the border parts 33 of the air bearing surface 30.

The slider 20 of the present embodiment allows a greater reduction inthe magnetic space as compared with the sliders 20 of the first andsecond embodiments. Therefore, as compared with the first and secondembodiments, the present embodiment provides a greater improvement inthe reproducing output and a greater reduction in half width of thereproducing head, as well as greater improvements in the overwriteproperty and nonlinear transition shift of the recording head. As aresult, a greater improvement in the yield of the hard disk drives canbe achieved.

The remainder of the configuration, functions and effects of the presentembodiment are the same as those of the second embodiment.

Reference is now made to FIG. 31 to FIG. 33 to describe a slideraccording to a fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 31 is a sideview showing a state of the slider 20 when the recording medium 45 isrotating. FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing an example of theconfiguration of the slider according to this embodiment, and FIG. 33 isa perspective view showing another example of the configuration of theslider according to this embodiment.

In the slider 20 of the embodiment, as in the third embodiment, theslider main body 21 is in contact with the surface of the recordingmedium 45 regardless of whether the recording medium 45 is rotating orat rest.

In the slider 20 of the embodiment, the air bearing surface 30 has noconcavity/convexity for controlling the orientation of the slider mainbody 21 during the rotation of the recording medium 45. The air bearingsurface 30, however, has a plurality of recesses 35 formed in a regionincluding the border part 33. FIG. 32 shows an example in which therecesses 35 are formed to reach the air inflow end 41. FIG. 33 shows anexample in which the recesses 35 are formed only in the vicinity of theborder part 33. In the example shown in FIG. 33, the edges of the slidermain body 21 are chamfered on the periphery of the air bearing surface30.

According to the slider 20 of the embodiment, the air bearing surface 30has no concavity/convexity for controlling the orientation of the slidermain body 21 during the rotation of the recording medium 45.Nevertheless, in the slider 20 of the embodiment, the slider main body21 is in contact with the surface of the recording medium 45 regardlessof whether the recording medium 45 is rotating or at rest. Therefore,even in the absence of the foregoing concavity/convexity, theorientation of the slider main body 21 can be kept constant while therecording medium 45 is rotating. Further, as shown in FIG. 33, bychamfering the edges of the slider main body 21 on the periphery of theair bearing surface 30, it is possible to prevent collision between theslider 20 and the recording medium 45 with yet higher reliability.

The remainder of the configuration, functions and effects of the presentembodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments butmay be practiced in still other ways. For example, the invention may beapplied to a thin-film magnetic head dedicated to reading that has noinduction-type electromagnetic transducer, a thin-film magnetic headdedicated to writing that has an induction-type electromagnetictransducer only, or a thin-film magnetic head that performs reading andwriting with an induction-type electromagnetic transducer.

As has been described, in the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of theinvention, the medium facing surface of the slider main body has a firstpart closer to the air outflow end, a second part closer to the airinflow end, and a border part between the first part and the secondpart. The second part is slanted against the first part so that theentire medium facing surface has a convex shape bent at the border part.In this slider, the entire medium facing surface has a convex shape bentat the border part, and, when the slider main body comes into contactwith the surface of the recording medium, the border part makes thecontact with the surface of the recording medium. Therefore, accordingto the invention, it is possible to reduce the magnetic space whilepreventing damage to the recording medium and the thin-film magnetichead element due to collision between the slider and the recordingmedium, and preventing the slider and the recording medium from stickingto each other.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, while therecording medium is rotating, the second part may slant against thesurface of the recording medium so that the air inflow end gets fartherfrom the recording medium than the border part does. In this case, thethin-film magnetic head element approaches the surface of the recordingmedium. Therefore, in this case, during the rotation of the recordingmedium the thin-film magnetic head element can be placed close to thesurface of the recording medium while the second part is kept fartherfrom the recording medium than the thin-film magnetic head element is.As a result, it is possible to further reduce the magnetic space whilepreventing collision between the slider and the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the slidermain body may be in contact with the surface of the recording mediumwhile the recording medium is at rest, and may stay away from thesurface of the recording medium while the recording medium is rotating.When the slider main body comes into contact with the surface of therecording medium, the border part may be the first to make contact withthe surface of the recording medium. In this case, the slider main bodycan smoothly come into contact with the surface of the recording medium,and as a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the recordingmedium and the thin-film magnetic head due to collision between theslider and the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the slidermain body may be in contact with the surface of the recording mediumwhile the recording medium is at rest, and may stay away from thesurface of the recording medium while the recording medium is rotating.When the slider main body takes off from the surface of the recordingmedium, the border part may be the last to depart from the surface ofthe recording medium. In this case, the slider main body can beseparated smoothly from the surface of the recording medium, and as aresult, it is possible to prevent damage to the recording medium and thethin-film magnetic head due to collision between the slider and therecording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, regardlessof whether the recording medium is rotating or at rest, the slider mainbody may be in contact with the surface of the recording medium at theborder part, and the first part and the second part may slant againstthe surface of the recording medium so that the air outflow end and theair inflow end are off the recording medium. In this case, it ispossible to prevent occurrence of collision between the slider main bodyand the recording medium caused by the slider main body coming intocontact with and getting away from the surface of the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the mediumfacing surface may have a recess formed in a region including the borderpart. In this case, the area in which the slider main body contacts thesurface of the recording medium can be made smaller, and as a result, itis possible to reduce frictional resistance between the slider main bodyand the surface of the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the slidermain body may include: a substrate portion that has a surface facingtoward the recording medium and makes a base of the thin-film magnetichead element; and an insulating portion that has a surface facing towardthe recording medium and surrounds the thin-film magnetic head element.The surface of the insulating portion facing toward the recording mediummay be located farther from the recording medium than a part of thesurface of the substrate portion facing toward the recording medium is,the part being adjacent to the surface of the insulating portion facingtoward the recording medium. In this case, a significant reduction inmagnetic space is achieved by putting a portion of the first part of themedium facing surface, the portion belonging to the substrate portion,into contact with the surface of the recording medium.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head of the invention, the lengthof a portion of the first part in the direction of air passage, theportion belonging to the substrate portion, may be equal to or less than50% the length of the entire substrate portion in the direction of airpassage. In this case, while the recording medium is rotating, thelength of the part that approaches the surface of the recording mediumout of the entire substrate portion becomes less than or equal to thelength of the part that gets away from the surface of the recordingmedium. Therefore, it is possible to prevent collision between theslider and the recording medium with yet higher reliability.

In the slider of a thin-film magnetic head manufactured by the methodaccording to the invention, the medium facing surface of the slider mainbody has a first part closer to the air outflow end, a second partcloser to the air inflow end, and a border part between the first partand the second part. The second part is slanted against the first partso that the entire medium facing surface has a convex shape bent at theborder part. In this slider, the entire medium facing surface has aconvex shape bent at the border part, and, when the slider main bodycomes into contact with the surface of the recording medium, the borderpart makes the contact with the surface of the recording medium.Therefore, according to the method of manufacturing a slider of athin-film magnetic head of the invention, it is possible to reduce themagnetic space while preventing damage to the recording medium and thethin-film magnetic head element due to collision between the slider andthe recording medium, and preventing the slider and the recording mediumfrom sticking to each other.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head ofthe invention, the step of processing the slider material may includethe step of forming a recess in the medium facing surface at a regionincluding the border part. In this case, the area in which the slidermain body contacts the surface of the recording medium can be madesmaller, and as a result, it is possible to reduce frictional resistancebetween the slider main body and the surface of the recording medium.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head ofthe invention, the portion to be the slider main body may include: asubstrate portion that has a surface facing toward the recording mediumand makes a base of the thin-film magnetic head element; and aninsulating portion that has a surface facing toward the recording mediumand surrounds the thin-film magnetic head element. The surface of theinsulating portion facing toward the recording medium may be locatedfarther from the recording medium than a part of the surface of thesubstrate portion facing toward the recording medium is, the part beingadjacent to the surface of the insulating portion facing toward therecording medium. In this case, a significant reduction in magneticspace is achieved by putting a portion of the first part of the mediumfacing surface, the portion belonging to the substrate portion, intocontact with the surface of the recording medium.

In the method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head ofthe invention, the length of a portion of the first part in thedirection of air passage, the portion belonging to the substrateportion, may be equal to or less than 50% the length of the entiresubstrate portion in the direction of air passage. In this case, whilethe recording medium is rotating, the length of the part that approachesthe surface of the recording medium out of the entire substrate portionbecomes less than or equal to the length of the part that gets away fromthe surface of the recording medium. Therefore, it is possible toprevent collision between the slider and the recording medium with yethigher reliability.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

1. A method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head, theslider comprising: a slider main body having a medium facing surfacethat faces toward a rotating recording medium, an air inflow end, and anair outflow end; and a thin-film magnetic head element disposed near theair outflow end and near the medium facing surface of the slider mainbody, wherein the medium facing surface has: a first part closer to theair outflow end; a second part closer to the air inflow end; and a ridgeline formed by intersection of the first part and the second part, thesecond part being slanted against the first part, the method comprisingthe steps of: forming a slider material containing a portion to be theslider main body and the thin-film magnetic head element, and processingthe slider material so as to form the medium facing surface having thefirst part, the second part and the ridge line, and the air inflow endand the air outflow end on the slider material, wherein: the portion tobe the slider main body includes: a substrate portion that has a surfacefacing toward the recording medium and makes a base of the thin-filmmagnetic head element; and an insulating portion that has a surfacefacing toward the recording medium and surrounds the thin-film magnetichead element; and the length of a portion of the first part in thedirection of air passage, the portion belonging to the substrateportion, is equal to or less than 50% the length of the entire substrateportion in the direction of air passage.
 2. A method of manufacturing aslider of a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein thestep of processing the slider material includes the steps of: lappingthe slider material to form the first part; and lapping the slidermaterial to form the second part.
 3. A method of manufacturing a sliderof a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the step ofprocessing the slider material includes the step of forming, on themedium facing surface, a concavity/convexity for controlling orientationof the slider main body during the rotation of the recording medium. 4.A method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic headaccording to claim 1, wherein the first part and the second part form anangle of no greater than 30°.
 5. A method of manufacturing a slider of athin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the step ofprocessing the slider material includes the step of forming a recess inthe medium facing surface at a region including the ridge line.
 6. Amethod of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head accordingto claim 1, wherein the step of processing the slider material includesthe step of forming a recess in the medium facing surface at a regionincluding the ridge line by etching the substrate portion.
 7. A methodof manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetic head according toclaim 1, wherein the step of processing the slider material includes thestep of forming a protection layer for covering the surfaces of thesubstrate portion and the insulating portion facing toward the recordingmedium.
 8. A method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetichead according to claim 7, wherein the step of processing the slidermaterial includes the step of forming a recess in the medium facingsurface at a region including the ridge line by etching the protectionlayer.
 9. A method of manufacturing a slider of a thin-film magnetichead according to claim 7, wherein the protection layer is made ofalumina or diamond-like carbon.
 10. A method of manufacturing a sliderof a thin-film magnetic head according claim 1, wherein the surface ofthe insulating portion facing toward the recording medium is locatedfarther from the recording medium than a part of the surface of thesubstrate portion facing toward the recording medium is, the part beingadjacent to the surface of the insulating portion facing toward therecording medium.